FCC Considers Change to ‘Roaming’ Rules

The Federal Communications Commission is considering changing rules governing “roaming” agreements between cellphone carriers.

Some small and mid-size carriers “are becoming increasingly frustrated” with their inability to negotiate the access they want to the networks of large carriers, FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein said in a statement.

Verizon Wireless, Alltel Corp. and other cellphone service providers negotiate the roaming agreements to allow customer calls to go over each others’ networks in areas where only one has coverage. Roaming is most common when cellphone customers travel outside their home areas into rural areas and small and mid-size cities.